1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pivot structure of a vehicle lamp, and more particularly, to a pivot structure that can prevent an adjustment of a height of a pivot portion of the vehicle lamp.
2. Prior Art
In a vehicle lamp, especially a vehicle headlamp, it is necessary to adjust its irradiation angle to obtain the most appropriate irradiation of light in front of the vehicle.
However, once the adjustment of the irradiation angle is properly completed at a professional work site such as the auto manufactures and auto workshop, it is preferable that the adjusted irradiation angle is not changed easily.
In other words, it is essential that the user is not allowed to adjust the irradiation angle once the adjustment is completed at, for instance, the manufacturing site.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,233 discloses a mechanism that meets this demand.
This prior art discloses an irradiation angle
This prior art discloses an irradiation angle adjustment mechanism for a vehicle lamp that tilts the vehicle lamp with respect to a vehicle body. This tilting is performed by connecting the vehicle lamp to the vehicle body via an adjustment shaft and by rotating the adjustment shaft so as to adjust the distance between the portion of the lamp connected to the adjustment shaft and the vehicle body. In this mechanism, the adjustment shaft is mounted to the vehicle body via a bracket such that the bracket completely covers the adjustment shaft. When the adjustment shaft is connected to the vehicle lamp, the operation portion of the adjustment shaft is covered by the bracket, and the rotation of the adjustment shaft by the user is avoided by the bracket.
In this mechanism, only the adjustment of the adjustment shaft is not done after the vehicle lamp is mounted to the vehicle body.
Conventionally, a vehicle lamp, that is tiltable with respect to the vehicle body, is supported by the vehicle body at a total of three locations: at interval adjusting portions (for vertical and lateral adjustment) which are the two locations where the distance between the lamp and the vehicle body is adjusted via the adjustment shaft, and at a pivot portion which is a single location that pivotally supports the lamp relative to the vehicle body.
The pivot portion described above comprises a fulcrum member; and this fulcrum member is formed by integrally combining a threaded shaft portion, a spherical portion, and an operation portion with which a tool for rotating operation portion is brought into contact. The threaded shaft portion of the fulcrum member is screwed into a screw receiving portion formed in the vehicle body or in a mounting element of the vehicle body. Also, the spherical portion of the fulcrum member is rotatably housed in the pivot receiving member formed in the vehicle lamp.
Therefore, the interval adjusting portion is generally not adjusted after the fulcrum member is mounted on the vehicle body. Nevertheless, the user can adjust or tilt the vehicle lamp by rotating the operation portion of the fulcrum member at the pivot portion and change the amount of engagement between the threaded shaft portion and the screw receiving portion.
Conventionally, no particular means is employed that can prevent the rotation of the fulcrum portion at the pivot portion.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a structure for supporting a vehicle lamp that can prevent the user from rotating the fulcrum member of the pivot member once the lamp is mounted to a vehicle body.
So as to accomplish the object, the pivot structure of vehicle lamp of the present invention, which is tiltably mounted to a vehicle body or a mounting element of the vehicle body, includes:
a fulcrum member that comprises a threaded shaft portion, a spherical portion, and an operation portion with which a tool for rotating the operation portion is brought into contact;
a screw receiving portion with which the threaded shaft portion of the fulcrum member is screwed, the screw receiving portion being formed in the vehicle body or the mounting element;
a receiving member which rotatably houses the spherical portion of the fulcrum member, the receiving member being formed in the vehicle lamp; and
a covering member that covers the operation portion of the fulcrum member.
According to the present invention, the covering member covers the operation portion of the fulcrum member so that it prevents the user from accessing the operation portion once the lamp is mounted to the vehicle body. Thus, the user is prevented from changing the irradiation angle of the vehicle lamp.